Direct memory access (DMA) engine with network interface capabilities

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that if executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• issue a direct memory access (DMA) data access request to a DMA engine, the DMA data access request comprising a source address, destination address, and length, wherein:
• the source address or destination address correspond to a local or remote memory device;
• the DMA engine is to determine if the source address corresponds to the remote memory device and based on the source address corresponding to the remote memory device, the DMA engine is to tunnel the DMA data access request by causing a network interface device to transmit a data access request based on the DMA data access request, in one or more Ethernet packets, to the remote memory device;
• and
• the DMA engine is to determine if the destination address corresponds to the remote memory device and based on the destination address corresponding to the remote memory device, the DMA engine is to copy data, associated with the DMA data access request, to the remote memory device by causing the network interface device to transmit one or more Ethernet packets with the data to the remote memory device;
• and
• wherein:
• based on the source address corresponding to the local memory device and the destination address corresponding to the remote memory device, generating, using the network interface device, at least one packet for transmission to the remote memory device and comprises generating the at least one packet that includes data stored at the source address, and
• based on the source address corresponding to the remote memory device and the destination address corresponding to the local memory device, generating, using the network interface device, at least one packet for transmission to the remote memory device and comprises generating the at least one packet with a data read request from the source address and receive data from the remote memory device in response to the at least one packet, and
• based on the source and destination addresses in the DMA data access request corresponding to the local memory device, the DMA engine is to perform a DMA copy operation for data from the source address to the destination address in the local memory device.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a direct memory access (DMA) engine, wherein the DMA engine is to:
• receive a DMA data access request comprising a source address, a destination address, and a length;
• determine if the source address in the DMA access request is associated with a remote memory device and based on a source address in the DMA data access request being associated with the remote memory device:
• cause the network interface to generate at least one Ethernet packet for transmission to the remote memory device, wherein the at least one Ethernet packet comprises a data access request based on the DMA data access request;
• and
• determine if the destination address in the DMA access request is associated with the remote memory device and based on the destination address in the DMA data access request being associated with the remote memory device, the DMA engine is to copy data, associated with the DMA data access request, to the remote memory device by transmission of at least one Ethernet packet with the data to the remote memory device, wherein:
• if the source address corresponds to a local memory device and the destination address corresponds to the remote memory device, generating, using the network interface, at least one packet for transmission to the remote memory device comprises generating the at least one packet that includes data stored at the source address, and
• if the source address corresponds to the remote memory device and the destination address corresponds to the local memory device, generating, using the network interface, at least one packet for transmission to the remote memory device comprises generating the at least one packet with a data read request from the source address and receiving data from the remote memory device in response to the at least one packet, and
• based on the source and destination addresses in the DMA data access request corresponding to the local memory device, the DMA engine is to perform a DMA copy operation for data from the source address to the destination address in the local memory device.